Lisa Nightingale

A domestic case review has been launched into the brutal killing of a South Tyneside mum by her partner.

Melissa Liddle was stabbed to death by her childhood sweetheart Anthony Ross in the home they shared in Oak Avenue, South Shields, on Mother’s Day.

Mum of two Melissa Liddle.

Ross, 24, is awaiting sentence after pleading guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He had originally been charged with murder.

Ross stabbed the mother of his two children 41 times after becoming convinced she was having an affair.

Now, a domestic case review will be carried out after Ross visited Jarrow walk-in centre the day before he killed the much-loved daughter.

A spokesman for the Community Safety Partnership said: “The case is subject to a Domestic Homicide Review, the details for which will be reported in due course. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”

She was fully charged for life. Now, that has been taken from her.

Tracey Keighley

A spokesman for Northern Doctors Urgent Care said: “Our thoughts are with the victim’s family at what must be a very difficult time. It is a particularly distressing case. We will work with the multi-agency domestic homicide review panel which has been set up to look into this.

“We are unable to comment on the specific details of this case at present but we take issues such as this very seriously. We have launched a full internal investigation, working closely with other local care providers.”

Melissa, 23, who worked as a florist was discovered dead in her bed by her brother Liam Liddle and stepdad David Keighley after the pair went round to her home at the request of her mum Tracey Keighley, who had been growing increasingly concerned for her daughter after she had failed to contact her at all on Mother’s Day.

Her heartbroken mum said: “Melissa had so many plans, she wanted her own shop. She was fully charged for life and loving it – now that has been taken from her.”

The Community Safety Partnership includes the Local Authority; Fire and Rescue Service; Clinical Commissioning Group; Northumbria Police; National Probation Service; Northumbria Community Rehabilitation Company; Youth Justice Service and South Tyneside Homes.